Mercedes A-Class saloon - Interior & comfort

Lower yourself into the A-Class saloon and you'll see it's a carbon copy of the hatchback, with the same futuristic digital layout. The traditional instrument binnacle has been ditched in favour of TFT screens, giving the A-Class a clear selling point in this class. It also gives the A-Class Saloon a more impressive dashboard than the now-replaced Mercedes C-Class.

Mercedes A-Class saloon dashboard

The twin displays measure seven inches each as standard, and one or both screens can be upgraded to 10.25 inches in size for the full widescreen effect. It's a striking cockpit, presenting 'gauges' behind the steering wheel that offer far more customisation than a traditional setup, while the right-hand display acts more like a conventional infotainment screen, showing everything from the radio to navigation.

They also allow the rest of the dashboard to be free from clutter, with just a single row of buttons on the central stack and a few lighting controls to the right of the steering wheel. Most functions are taken care of by the touch-sensitive controller or by speaking to the car, thanks to the voice control included with the new MBUX operating system.

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Equipment

The A-Class saloon is available in four distinct trim levels, starting at Sport Executive and then stepping up through AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium, and AMG Line Premium Plus, while those after further equipment can plunder the extensive options list.

Even Sport Executive trim is well equipped, with LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, Artico synthetic leather seats, a sports steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, and keyless go as standard. AMG Line Executive trim upgrades you to 18-inch wheels and AMG body styling, while inside there are microfibre inserts in the Artico-trimmed seats, and metal finishers for the pedals. AMG Line Premium offers similar kit but adds some extra safety features and a 225W audio system, while the AMG Line Premium Plus features 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and a head-up display, among other toys.

Options

Mercedes has now spun off its old option packs for AMG Line models into dedicated trim lines detailed above, but there is still a range of optional features to let you personalise each model just a little further. That includes a little more colour in the cabin, with beige Artico artificial leather now available as a no-cost option in the Sport Executive models, and sage grey Artico (a kind of very light blue colour) a no-cost option on all AMG Line models, in place of the black Artico/microfibre mix.

Non-metallic black and white paint shades are the only standard colours on the A-class, with various metallics and a bright ‘sun yellow’ non-metallic available for around £600, below more expensive Manufaktur shades. A £1,500 Driving Assistance Package can be added to the AMG Line Premium Plus and AMG A 35 (incorporating features such as active blind spot assist, Distronic active cruise control and active lane change assist).

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Technology

Mercedes launched its then range-topping infotainment system with the A-Class, so not only does it outshine most rivals, it's also more powerful than the systems fitted in the last-generation Mercedes S-Class limousine. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration is now standard, while Sport and AMG Line Executive models get a 100W audio system, and AMG Line Premium and Premium Plus a 250W system.

While it's likely to improve as updates are rolled out, we found Mercedes' MBUX voice control system slightly less successful. Its party trick is that it's activated by saying "Hey Mercedes", rather like smartphones' "Okay Google" function. You can then ask it to carry out operations like adjusting the climate control or navigating to a point of interest, but we found it recognised our commands less than half the time.